March 2026 was an unforgettable month with the 2026 Formula 1 season starting, UEFA Champions League knockouts kicking into high gear, and basketball nearing the postseason. Here is the best athlete, team, and moment from last month.
Athlete of the month: Federico Valverde
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde bagged seven goals in seven games during March. With Real Madrid’s prolific goalscorer Kylian Mbappé out with a knee injury for a good chunk of the month, Los Blancos had to figure out how to replace Mbappé’s output. Valverde emerged as the answer. Before March, Valverde had only scored one goal in La Liga — and none in the UEFA Champions League — this season. Yet, against Celta Vigo on March 6, Valverde scored a stoppage-time game-winner to tally his first goal of the month. Just days later, in the Champions League round of 16 first leg against Manchester City, Valverde scored a hat trick in the first half, singlehandedly propelling Real Madrid to a 3-0 win. A few weeks later, against rival Atlético Madrid, Valverde brought his total to seven goals in the month. In what was set to be a difficult month for Los Blancos, Valverde shouldered Real Madrid’s goalscoring burden, keeping his team’s season alive in Mbappé’s absence.
Team of the month: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1
Three grands prix have yielded three wins for Mercedes. Mercedes has nailed the new Formula 1 regulations and clearly has the most dominant car to start the season. At the Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes had its first of two 1-2 finishes, with George Russell taking the first win of the season and his younger teammate Kimi Antonelli finishing second. Russell finished more than 15 seconds ahead of any other non-Mercedes car — an impressive showing in the first race of the season. In China, Russell won the sprint race, and in the main race, Antonelli secured his first win with Russell just behind in second. Better yet, championship rival McLaren imploded in China; neither McLaren car started the race, allowing Mercedes to build a substantial lead ahead of the defending champions. In Japan — the final race of March — Antonelli won again to take the lead in the drivers’ championship standings. Mercedes ended March having won every race and built a 45-point lead in the constructors’ championship over second-place Ferrari, firmly placing itself in the driver’s seat of the F1 championship.
Moment of the month: Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game
On March 10, the Miami Heat took on the Washington Wizards in what turned out to be a historic game. Heat center Bam Adebayo made 36 free throws on his way to an 83-point game — the second most in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game and just ahead of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game. Adebayo started the game strong with 43 points in the first half, including five 3-pointers. Adebayo tacked on 19 more points in the third quarter, making 10 free throws while also shooting 20% from three and 36% from the field. In the fourth quarter, Adebayo forced himself to the line again, making 14 more free throws, but still shooting poorly from the field. Though Adebayo finished the game with poor shooting efficiency, his explosive performance turned a run-of-the-mill Tuesday night regular-season match into a historic game, capturing the attention of incredulous NBA fans.
This month’s must-watch: Masters tournament
Hello, friends. From April 9 to April 12, the 2026 Masters tournament will take place at Augusta National Golf Club. This year’s Masters occurs amid controversy in the golf world, as Tiger Woods handles the fallout from his most recent DUI. Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world, is the favorite to don the green jacket after winning the Masters in 2024. Last year’s champion Rory McIlroy is also a title contender looking to capture his second consecutive Masters this year. Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young are strong challengers for the title as well, with DeChambeau hoping to win the Masters tournament for the first time, and Young emerging as a sneaky contender coming off a win in The Players Championship. Will it be title-favorite Scheffler who wins the green jacket, or can a first-time hopeful champion like DeChambeau exceed expectations?
